Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Jan 14, 2025 13 hours, 22 minutes ago
Medical News: A groundbreaking study led by researchers from the NYU Grossman School of Medicine and the NYU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center sheds light on how COVID-19 may impact brain health. This investigation explored the relationship between COVID-19 infections, blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity, and biomarkers associated with Alzheimer’s disease. With cognitive impairments becoming increasingly recognized as a post-COVID complication, this
Medical News report delves into the findings to provide a clear and accessible overview.
Impact of COVID-19 on Blood-Brain Barrier and Alzheimer Risk
Why the Blood-Brain Barrier Matters
The blood-brain barrier acts as a selective shield, regulating which substances can enter the brain from the bloodstream. Disruptions in this barrier can lead to neuroinflammation and increased susceptibility to conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. The study employed a novel, non-invasive MRI technique known as water-extraction-with-phase-contrast-arterial-spin-tagging (WEPCAST) to assess BBB permeability and its correlation with Alzheimer’s biomarkers in COVID-19 patients.
Study Design and Participants
The study included 67 participants with an average age of 64.7, composed of both COVID-positive and COVID-negative individuals. Participants were divided into three groups: those with a confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection but no cognitive impairment, those with both infection and cognitive impairment, and those without a history of COVID-19. Researchers conducted neuropsychological assessments alongside MRI scans to evaluate BBB permeability. They also measured plasma levels of key Alzheimer’s biomarkers, including Aβ40, Aβ42, neurofilament light chain (NFL), and phosphorylated tau protein (pTau181).
Key Findings
The study revealed several striking observations about how COVID-19 influences BBB function and Alzheimer’s biomarkers:
-Increased BBB Permeability: Participants who had COVID-19 showed significantly higher BBB permeability compared to those without prior infections. On average, permeability-surface-area-product (PS) measurements were 119 mg/100 g/min in COVID-positive individuals versus 96 mg/100 g/min in the control group.
-Cognitive Impairment and BBB Integrity: Among COVID-positive participants, those with cognitive impairments demonstrated even greater BBB permeability, with an average PS of 129 mg/100 g/min compared to 113 mg/100 g/min in their cognitively normal counterparts.
-Biomarker Correlations: BBB permeability was negatively correlated with plasma Aβ42 levels (r=-0.28) and positively correlated with pTau181 levels (r=0.24). These correlations underscore the potential link between BBB disruptions and Alzheimer’s pathology.
Interestingly, the study found no significant associations between BBB permeability and NFL or Aβ
40 levels, highlighting the selective nature of these disruptions.
What Do These Results Mean?
This study underscores the multifaceted impact of COVID-19 on the brain. Increased BBB permeability following infection may facilitate the entry of harmful substances into the brain, exacerbating inflammation and accelerating neurodegenerative processes. The correlations with Alzheimer’s biomarkers, particularly pTau181, suggest that these changes could contribute to early Alzheimer’s disease pathology in vulnerable individuals.
Moreover, the findings highlight the importance of monitoring cognitive health in COVID-19 survivors. Cognitive impairment, whether mild or severe, may signal underlying neurobiological changes linked to BBB dysfunction and should not be dismissed as a temporary side effect of the infection.
Future Implications and Conclusion
The implications of this research extend far beyond the immediate effects of COVID-19. The findings emphasize the need for long-term neurological monitoring of COVID-19 survivors, especially those experiencing cognitive symptoms. Early detection of BBB permeability changes and related biomarker shifts could pave the way for timely interventions to mitigate the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions.
The study also calls for further research to explore the mechanisms underlying BBB dysfunction in COVID-19 patients. Identifying therapeutic targets to restore BBB integrity could prove vital in preventing or slowing the progression of cognitive decline in affected individuals.
The study findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal: Alzheimer’s & Dementia.
https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/alz.086505
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Medical News.
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https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/covid-19-causes-disruptions-in-blood-brain-barrier-via-mitochondria-impairment-and-endothelial-dysfunction
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/illinois-study-finds-that-caveolin-1-mediates-blood-brain-barrier-permeability-neuroinflammation-and-cognitive-impairment-in-covid-19
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/must-read-covid-19-news-sars-cov-2-altered-blood-brain-barrier-opens-questions-about-drugs-used-during-treatments-and-their-effects
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/coronavirus
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